


Soft side

by chameleon_soul



Category: Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 09:30:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4299624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chameleon_soul/pseuds/chameleon_soul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takashiro forces Hotsuma to show a side off himself he'd rather have kept hidden from the others.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soft side

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Uragiri. I’m just having fun with its boys and girls.
> 
> Pairings: hinting towards Shusei X Hotsuma, Toko X Tsukumo, Yuki X Luka
> 
> Spoilers: Ann, the school newspaper photographer whom stalks Shusei and Hotsuma to gain her perfect Shusei shot.

** Soft side **

 

“What kind of job do you think he has?”

 

The small group of youngsters stopped at the fountain in the middle of the shopping plaza.  They all started to look around, searching for their friend.

 

“I hope he’s working at an ice cream booth so he can treat us,” the boy with the grey hair voiced as his eyes came glued to one of the many ice cream booths on the plaza that promised sweet heaven to its customers.

 

“I don’t think Tooma-san will appreciate it if we ruin our appetite with ice cream,” a strawberry blond said carefully.

 

The grey haired boy grinned and slung an arm around the strawberry blond boy.  “Live dangerously, Yuki.  That is exactly what Tooma-san expects us to do.  What else will he have to complain about tonight?”

 

Yuki looked doubtful at the grey haired boy.  “Tooma-san goes through a lot of trouble each day to give us healthy and tasty meals, Tsukumo,” he protested.  “The least we can do is show him the consideration of not ruining our appetite.”

 

“Don’t worry, Yuki.”

 

Yuki looked over to the brunet boy beside him whom graced him with a kind smile. 

 

“Tsukumo is a bottomless pit,” the boy continued.  “He always has room for Tooma-san’s meals.  Even after having finished just half a candy shop.”

 

The girl in their company giggled.  She draped herself over the back of the grey haired boy.  “Shusei has a point,” she said cheerfully.

 

Tsukumo mock pouted.  “I’m a boy in growth.  I need to eat.”  His eyes then turned more concerned on Shusei.  “I’m sure Hotsuma wouldn’t mind if you took more after me.”

 

Shusei smiled back at Tsukumo.  “I’m fine, Tsukumo.  You don’t have to worry about me.  Besides, one pig in a partnership is already more than enough.”

 

“So true,” Toko piped up, from where she was still clinging on to Tsukumo.  “I don’t get where you and Hotsuma keep putting all that junk food without it showing!”  She pouted jealously.

 

Tsukumo tossed his sister a compassionate smile.

 

“Hotsuma may burn up all those calories with his power,” Yuki voiced, his hand under his chin and his eyes lifted upwards thoughtfully.  “Yet that doesn’t solve the mystery of Tsukumo.”  His eyes came to rest on Tsukumo, a studying glance in them.

 

Tsukumo grinned back at Yuki.  “I’m just a healthy boy.”

 

Toko snorted, but then suddenly forgot her brother as her eyes fell on a blond boy whom was handing out pamphlets.  She just wanted to point the blond out to the rest of the group when said boy turned slightly and she could see his side profile.  It wasn’t Hotsuma.  “Are you sure he didn’t give you a single hint of what his part-time job is, Shusei?”

 

Shusei shook his head. 

 

“I wonder why he wants to keep his part-time job a secret,” Yuki voiced.

 

“Maybe cause he’s embarrassed about it.  Maybe he is some kind of host for perverted old men,” Toko’s eyes turned big as her own theory rolled out of her mouth.

 

“I doubt it,” Shusei laughed softly.  Still he too wondered why his partner had so stubbornly refused to share with him the nature of the blond boy’s job.  His eyes scanned the plaza. 

 

Today was the first day of Hotsuma’s part-time job.  The blond had burned through his monthly allowance on just the first day of the month and Takashiro had refused to give Hotsuma a loan for a new game that had come out later that month.  Their head of the family had told Hotsuma that it was high time the blond became more responsible and had suggested to Hotsuma to get a part-time job if he truly couldn’t wait to get his hands on the new game.

 

Hotsuma had been in a foul mood ever since, but when he had offered his partner to loan him the money, Hotsuma had shot him down, saying he couldn’t keep sponging of him his entire life.  That perhaps there had been some truth to Takashiro’s words and that it was time he became more mature. 

 

The next week the blond had devoured the job ads and gone to several job interviews only to have come home on Friday proudly with a part-time job in his pocket.  His partner only had refused to share with any of them what kind of part-time job he had landed and so Toko and Tsukumo hadn’t been able to come up with a better idea than to go to the shopping district themselves too the next day to hopefully spot Hotsuma at his new part-time job.

 

Yuki tagged along, curiosity also having gotten the better of the boy despite his earlier protests about respecting Hotsuma’s privacy.  Luka of course was there to guard Yuki and his own reason of being here was still up for debate. 

 

He himself didn’t even really know why he was here and didn’t just respect his partner’s wish for privacy.  Maybe it had something to do with the blush that had colored Hotsuma’s cheeks this morning when he had been on the verge to leave for his job yet had paused for a second in the doorway and had stuttered out his goodbye.  - What job could possibly put his partner in such an state of embarrassment? -  Or maybe him being here had nothing to do at all with his curiosity having been peeked, but just with the simple fact that when it came to his partner, he just wanted to know all there was to know off his partner, including daily, silly things such as a part-time job. 

 

Shusei’s eyes wandered over various teenagers whom were also in the midst of earning some extra pocket money with various jobs when finally his eyes landed on his partner.   A smile appeared on his face and for a few moments he kept quiet about having spotted his partner, enjoying the intimacy of the moment that had been created with only him knowing. 

 

Then Shusei lifted his finger and pointed at the blond, giving up his partner to the rest of the group whom still hadn’t spotted the blond.  “He’s over there.”

 

Yuki, Toko and Tsukumo all looked in the direction Shusei gestured.  The brunet was pointing at a human sized, brown teddy bear that was handing out balloons to toddlers and other small kids in front of a toy shop.  They looked from the teddy bear to Shusei, doubt in all off their eyes.  They knew Shusei had a knack for finding his partner no matter what, but Hotsuma in a bear suite handing out balloons to small kids?  Surely the brunet had to be mistaken for once.

 

“Are you sure, Shusei?” Toko asked carefully.

 

Shusei just smiled before he strolled over to the human sized teddy bear.  He approached the person in the teddy bear suite from his blind side and patiently waited till the bear’s attention would fall on him.

 

Yuki, Tsukumo, Toko and Luka all looked on from their spot at the fountain.

                                               ---------------------------------------------------------

The person in the bear suite turned away from the little girl – after having given her a green balloon - and nearly did a double take as he came face to face with Shusei whom was grinning contently at him.

 

 “What are you doing here?” the person in the bear suite huffed annoyed.

 

Shusei’s grin turned wider as he could clearly imagine his partner’s scowling face under the head of the bear suite.

 

“Well?” Hotsuma’s free hand came to rest in his side as he looked threateningly at his partner even though Shusei of course couldn’t see his facial expression as it was hidden under the mask.  But Hotsuma was convinced Shusei would get the hint.  After all, didn’t his partner always claim he knew him better than the blond knew himself?

 

Undisturbed by his partner’s rude attitude Shusei looked upwards and pointed at the balloons that were floating in the air.  “I want a balloon,” he stated, his eyes coming to rest again on the bear mask Hotsuma wore. The grin had disappeared but his eyes still held a playful twinkle.

 

“Aren’t you a bit too old for a balloon?” Hotsuma huffed.

 

“A red one, please,” Shusei continued, ignoring his friend’s rude comment.

 

Hotsuma made a disgusted but defeated sound and looked up.  He spotted a red balloon, followed the cord down and then untangled the desired cord after which he handed Shusei his red balloon.  “There,” he said rudely.  “You’ve had your fun, now get scares.”

 

Shusei treated Hotsuma to a brilliant smile.  “I’ll see you at home.”  He started to walk away, the cord of his red balloon held safely in his hand, but he hadn’t taken a few steps or he paused and glanced backwards over his shoulder at his partner.   “You know,” he spoke up, “this wasn’t exactly what I meant when I suggested to you that you should show your soft side more to others.” 

 

The comment had been voiced thoughtfully yet Hotsuma easily picked up on the underlying teasing tone.  He could feel his cheeks heat up under the head of the bear suite.  “Bastard.”

 

“Love you too,” Shusei winked after which he continued his trek back to where he had left the others. 

 

Hotsuma watched him go when suddenly a thought struck him.  “Hey, Shusei!” he called out, his free hand lifted in a halting gesture.

 

At the blond’s sudden call, Shusei stopped and looked back expectantly.

 

Hotsuma took a step towards his partner.  “How did you know it was me in this bear suite?” he asked, genuinely intrigued about the answer.  Had his partner perhaps used his power?

 

Shusei walked back over to Hotsuma.  His hands raised and came to rest on each side of the head of the bear suite.  Without taking note of Hotsuma’s protests, he tilted the head of the bear suite enough backwards so he could see his partner’s face.  His eyes took Hotsuma’s face in with a soft expression.  “I’ve already told you many times, remember?”  His left hand released its hold on the bear suite’s head and he softly caressed Hotsuma’s cheek with the back of his knuckle.  “Even if we were in a world devoid of senses, I’d find you.  I will always find you, no matter what, Hotsuma.  I would never mistake you for another, not under any circumstances.”

 

Hotsuma stared spellbound back at his partner.  He felt as if Shusei had just stolen his breath away.  He could feel his cheeks heat up.  They were so close.  Shusei’s face was so close to his.  If he would lean just a bit forward he could …

 

“Oh, I nearly forgot.”

 

Hotsuma blinked and stared on confused as Shusei took a step away from him and pulled out his cell phone.  Before he knew it, Shusei had aimed the cell at him and a click sounded.

 

“What the …?”  Hotsuma muttered still confused.

 

Shusei inspected his cell’s screen first before he turned his cell so Hotsuma could see the screen.  On it stood an image of him in his bear suite.  “Ann was looking for a cute pic for the front page of the school newspaper.  I’m convinced this will be a winner.”

 

Hotsuma stared at his partner for a few moments, feeling as if Shusei was speaking some foreign language.  Then everything clicked and his face heated up.  He made a mad grab for Shusei’s cell but Shusei easily moved out of his way.  “Give me that cell, you bastard!”

 

“No.”  Shusei made a sad face, looking as if Hotsuma was trying to take away his favorite toy.  “I’m also in need of a new screen saver of you and this one is perfect.”

 

“That won’t work on me, you bastard!” Hotsuma roared, refusing to take the bait.  “And like hell you’re going to put that up on your computer!” 

 

Hotsuma made another move for the cell that got deflected by Shusei.  “Give me that fucking cell, Shusei!  After all the crap I have taken for you from that Ann chick, the least you can do is delete that picture!”  He suddenly paused as the full meaning hit him off the screen saver comment his partner had made.  His eyes narrowed.  “What do you mean needing a new screen saver of me?  What the hell was your old one?!”  The volume of his voice rose with each pronounced word.

 

Shusei however remained unaffected in the face of his partner’s temper.  He even smiled sweetly at his fuming partner, not that Hotsuma fell for it as he knew his partner way to well to know Shusei’s smiles weren’t always as innocent as the brunet pretended them to be.

 

“Since you ask so politely,” Shusei said, “let’s see …” His attention diverted for a few seconds to his cell as he called up a picture.  Picture found he turned his cell so Hotsuma stared at an image of himself sleeping in Shusei’s bed.  His blue pyjamas top was completely unbuttoned and showed off his naked chest whilst his pyjamas pants seemed to be riding very lowly on his hips - if they even still were on as he couldn’t find a single indication on the pic anywhere that he had indeed been still wearing his pants.

 

“This is the current one,” Shusei shared before he hit a button and another picture of Hotsuma appeared on the cell’s screen.  This one had Hotsuma in his school uniform, his hand raking through his hair.  His necktie was gone and the two top buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned.  “The one before that,” Shusei helpfully said.  Another push on the button, revealing a third pic of Hotsuma, a close-up off the blond’s face this time.  “The one before that …”

 

Hotsuma felt his embarrassment uncurl itself within him till it finally reached boiling point and he exploded.  “Shusei,” he growled out his partner’s name in a low, dangerous tone making his partner stop shifting through his pictures on the cell phone and regard the blond in front of him.

 

“Yes,” Shusei asked innocently as if he wasn’t aware at all of his friend’s current mood.

 

“You rotten bastard,” Hotsuma continued, his entire body language still drawn within himself when suddenly he snapped and lunged for the cell in the brunet’s hands with a war cry.  “Give me that damn cell!”

 

Once again Shusei danced out of his partner’s path, having predicted the blond’s rash move easily.

 

“SSSHHHHUUUUSSSEEEEIIIII!!!!”

                                                               ---------------------------------------------

“Hotsuma sounds frustrated,” Yuki commented as he and the rest of the group followed Hotsuma and Shusei’s antics from where they were still standing at the plaza’s fountain.

 

“Wouldn’t you with all the teasing Shusei always does?”  Tsukumo asked, savouring the ice-cream he had just bought a few moments ago whilst the group waited for Shusei to join them again.  “It’s high time Shusei takes it to the next level,” he continued.  “I don’t think Hotsuma will be able to take much more before he has a heart attack.  Then again,” he waved his ice-cream cone in the air, “it would be a shame to lose the entertainment they always provide.” 

 

Tsukumo brought the ice-cream back to his mouth and froze as he noticed a small bite had been taken out of his chocolate chip ice cream scoop.  “Toko,” he reprimanded, turning his attention on his sister.  “Your diet,” he wailed as if it was his diet she had just wrecked.

 

Toko blushed guilty.  “It’s not my fault, Tsukomo,” she protested, sneaking up against his side.  “How can anyone expect a healthy girl to resist the temptation of ice-cream?”  She leant in, wanting to take another quick bite, but her brother quickly pulled the ice-cream cone out of her reach.

 

“Come on, Tsukumo,” Toko wheedled.  “Share.”

 

“No,” Tsukumo answered, stepping away from his sister.  “Think of your diet, Toko-chan.”

 

“One bite won’t hurt,” Toko objected.

 

“You already had one!” Tsukumo pointed out.

 

“Tsukumo!  You’re supposed to be my brother!  Brothers and sisters share!”

 

Tsukumo took another step backwards as Toko took one forward in his direction, a pout on her face.  “Believe me, Toko.  One day you’ll thank me for this.”

 

“In what universe?!  Share!”

 

“No!”

 

Yuki watched amused how Tsukumo made a break for it, Toko hot on the boy’s heels.  The grey haired boy tried to stuff his ice-cream in one go in his mouth during his mad dash whilst protesting yells from Toko followed his attempt.  Hotsuma in the mean time was still trying to get for some unknown reason to him Shusei’s cell.  Hotsuma’s boss had appeared in the doorway of the toy shop and was shaking an angry fist at Hotsuma, demanding the blond to return to his spot and do his job.  Hotsuma ignoring his boss’ orders didn’t help the toy shop owner’s temper.

 

Yuki shook his head in amusement.  His eyes darted left and he connected gazes with Luka whom was still standing by his side, looking stoic and impassive as always when it came to the madness of the Zweilts he was subjected to.

 

Yuki gave Luka a brilliant smile – electing an answering, small smile from the Opast – and then returned his attention back on the Zweilts, wondering whether one day he and Luka would also be able to act this carefree around each other.  He certainly hoped so …

 ----------------------------------------

THE END

 

Fic inspired by this advertisement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WuLV-QBZ6Y


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